New York Bans Domestic Abusers From Owning Firearms
NEW YORK (CNN) -- People convicted of domestic abuse in New York will now have to turn over all firearms, not just handguns, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday.
"New York is once again leading the way to prevent gun violence, and with this common sense reform, break the inextricable link between gun violence and domestic violence," Cuomo said. "This legislation builds on our gun laws -- already the strongest in the nation -- to make New York safer and stronger."
A news release from the governor said the legislation amends state law passed after the Sandy Hook killings that previously prohibited domestic abusers from owning pistols and revolvers. It also applied to some misdemeanors but not others.
The changes in the law included adding a list of serious misdemeanors.
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"Half of the women who are murdered in this country are murdered by an intimate partner," Cuomo told CNN, citing a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report says some of the killers are former partners.
Firearms were used in 35 domestic killings in the state in 2016, the governor's office said.
The law also can prevent someone from getting or renewing a license for a gun if the person is the subject of an arrest warrant for certain alleged crimes.
The governor said the state wants its laws to prevent dangerous people from getting weapons.
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"Legitimate gun owners can still own a gun," Cuomo said.
The measure passed 41-19 in the Senate and 85-32 in the state Assembly.
In a memo posted on the governor's website, the statement notes parts of the law were being changed to align with federal law.
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